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Queer in the Community

Queer in the Community. David Mills and Keiran Rossteuscher. AIDS Action Council of the ACT. Located at Westlund House, Acton PLWHA ACT and SWOP ACT Free counselling Workshops ( Stepping Out, Out There, Looking Out, Together ) Safe sex products Free resources and publications

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Queer in the Community

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  1. Queer in the Community David Mills and Keiran Rossteuscher

  2. AIDS Action Council of the ACT • Located at Westlund House, Acton • PLWHA ACT and SWOP ACT • Free counselling • Workshops (Stepping Out, Out There, Looking Out, Together) • Safe sex products • Free resources and publications • Free Legal Clinic • Community Space • Volunteering and training

  3. Introducing gender and sexuality • Disparities in health and service access • Inclusive service provision

  4. What is GLBTI? • Gay • Lesbian • Bisexual • Transgender • Intersex but wait, there’s more…

  5. The Sexual Trichotomy

  6. Identity “I think of myself as a lesbian because my attraction to men is generally small, rare and squashable. In my case, even though I have a boyfriend I still think of myself as a lesbian. As a general rule (98% of the time) I am ONLY attracted to the same sex, occasionally (rarely) I might be attracted to the opposite sex (as I have a boyfriend currently)” Mary 16 yrs

  7. Sexuality Heterosexuality Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Gender Masculine Feminine Transgender Intersex Sex Male Female

  8. Homophobia In Australia • 35% of Australians aged 14 and above believe that homosexuality is immoral • This belief is more widely held in rural areas than in large cities Mapping Homophobia In Australia (2005) Flood & Hamilton

  9. Discrimination Perceived Real Compromised health outcomes Reduced access to appropriate healthcare

  10. Good or excellent self-rated health

  11. People who identify as LGBT are more likely to… • be target of bullying, harassment or assault • engage in recreational drug use (both licit and illicit) • be affected by mental illness • engage in self harm and suicidality • be affected by homelessness • increased levels of STI’s

  12. PLEASE NOTE! Most GLBTI people are not unhappy with their identity, but instead with the way they are treated because of it!

  13. Modifying daily activities at least sometimes

  14. Barriers to service use for GLBTI clients • GLBTI people’s fears of discrimination (or experience of discrimination) cause them to use health services less, and they are likely to present later with a problem which is therefore less amenable to treatment. • GLBTI patients are likely to be especially conscious of protecting their privacy in medical records. • The potential disclosure of their sexual orientation on medical records may be a factor in their willingness to discuss it openly (Mulligan EA & Braunack-Mayer A 2004)

  15. Inclusive Service provision There are some very simple elements of service provision which all professionals can undertake. Taken together they can make a real difference to GLBTI clients

  16. Practical things you can do • Create a welcoming environment using posters or pamphlets • Use intake forms which don’t exclude. • Language which does not foreclose on any disclosure eg “partner” without a gender assumed.

  17. Elements of inclusive service provision • Guarding against heterosexual assumptions e.g. questions about contraception, pregnancy. • Not assuming that identity implies a particular sexual history. • Reassurance relating to confidentiality and record keeping. • Not being afraid to ask about an issue if you are unsure.

  18. Resources • Hillier, L et al. (2003) Women’s Health Longitudinal Study • Hillier, L et al. (2005) Writing Themselves in Again • Pitts, M et al (2006) Private Lives Study • Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria (GLHV)

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